SK13102003A3 - Method of making stitched LGA connector - Google Patents

Abstract

A land grid array connector is formed by attaching a reinforcing member to a frame and coating the reinforcing member with an elastomeric compound to form a reinforced, flexible body portion of the connector. Conductive wires are inserted in pairs in an array in the fabric extent. Free ends of the wires extend past the elastomeric compound to provide contacts of the connector. The pairs of wires provide redundancy for the contacts to ensure a reliable connection.

Description

Technical field

The present invention generally relates to connectors whose contacts are pressure-coupled, and more particularly to a connector for a ground grid array (LGA) that uses a plurality of wires as contacts that are fixed in a resilient portion of the connector body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the electronics industry, the miniaturization of electronic devices and devices such as laptops and similar devices has evolved enormously in the past few years. Industrial production is constantly looking for ways to reduce the size of these components and increase their functionality and capabilities. Both objectives are achieved by increasing the density of circuits on the components of the devices. Since the number of circuitry formed on the chip or printed circuit board may increase, care should also be taken to ensure a reliable interconnection between the high density components and other components of the device.

These high-capacity interconnections are used with microprocessors, ASICs, and other types of chips and can also be used as connectors between two printed circuit boards. High density BGA (Baled Grid Array) interconnections were used for these applications. In the arrangement of the BGA-type bundles, the fasteners are formed in a washer, and in contact with the fasteners, small solder ball bodies are placed. These ball bodies are then heated to form a connection between the chip and other circuit boards. However, these ball bodies often cause poor flexibility of the printed circuit board and mechanical properties, even when contact is made between the chip and the circuit board associated therewith. They are also not always suitable for overcoming changes that may occur in the substrate of a printed circuit board. In addition, when the beads are heated to provide a solder connection, the chip can no longer be easily detached to correct solder errors without appropriately replacing all solder balls and filling the ball field on the printed circuit board and making another attempt. o establishing a reliable connection. Thus, the use of a BGA solder arrangement is disadvantageous since it does not provide a detachable interface interlayer of the device.

For such applications, ground grid array (LGA) connectors have been developed that provide circuit paths between the device and the printed circuit board, including the use of metal contact wires that are usually embedded in a rigid plastic backing to connect the grounding arrays. surfaces or solder pads on printed circuit boards with solder balls or ground pads that may be formed on a chip or other devices. These grounding surfaces are formed with a specific arrangement opposite to the solder balls / grounding surfaces of the components to which the connector is assigned. These LGA connectors offer many advantages over BGA connectors by providing circuit or system designers with a separable interlayer between the chip / chip assembly and the circuit board that BGA devices cannot provide because they are soldered to circuit boards to create their circuit boards. connection. For LGA connectors, each conductor line must exert some resilient force that must be maintained to establish a reliable interconnection with the device. The clamping force must be applied to the chip to keep the chip in contact with the connector. A chip having contacts in excess of 1,000 contacts may require a contact force of well over 100 pounds.

U.S. Pat. No. 4998885, issued Mar. 21, 1991, discloses a type of connector in which wires with spherically shaped end portions are incorporated into an elastomeric substrate. However, the elastomer backing must be precisely laser-scored in the region between the wires to increase the flexibility of the wires and their end portions formed into a spherical shape. Cutting these lines too deeply into the elastomeric backing carries the risk of loosening the elastomer that carries the wires and hence the possible formation of unreliable contacts, and as a result the wires may bend and thus fail to fulfill their own spring connection function. This not only complicates production, but also increases the cost of manufacturing such connectors.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to improving LGA connectors and a method for their manufacture that overcome the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of the present invention to provide an LGA connector having a resilient portion of the connector body that carries a plurality of resilient deformable contacts arranged at a high fit density to provide a reliable connection between the connector and the co-engaging opposite component or device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a high-density LGA connector provided with a resilient portion of the connector body that is reinforced by a layer interposed between two elastomeric layers and a plurality of contacts disposed in an arrangement within the portion of the connector body. opposing surfaces of the connector body portion.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reliable high-density LGA connector provided with a resilient portion of the connector body that is reinforced with a fabric field interposed between two layers of elastomer and further provided with a plurality of contacts disposed within an arrangement within the body portion; that protrude above opposite surfaces of a portion of the connector body.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a reliable high-density LGA connector having a resilient portion of a connector body that carries a plurality of conductive wire contacts formed as resilient loops having free ends that protrude on opposite sides of a portion of the connector body.

Another, further aspect of the present invention is to provide a pressure-sealable connector having a fabric substrate encapsulated within the elastomer. wherein the connector is provided with a plurality of thin, resilient contacts disposed within the fabric substrate in a predetermined configuration and extending across the substrate. The contacts are arranged as thin strands of wires, folded back into double twisted loops, the contacts having free ends that protrude on opposite sides of the substrate.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a LGA connector for large integration applications, wherein the connectors include a frame that encircles the central portion of the connector body. The central portion of the connector body includes at least one elastomeric field that is reinforced by a reinforcing member at least partially incorporated in the elastomeric field. The connector is provided with a plurality of conductive contacts housed in a particular arrangement in a portion of the connector body. The contacts are formed of thin conductive wires which are inserted into the central part of the connector body, the contacts being formed as open loops, which create interconnected backup, surplus paths for each electrical circuit contact.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a pressure-sealable connector having a resilient portion of a connector body that is supported by a connector frame member, wherein the connector frame member extends around the resilient portion of the connector body to form a connector circumference. The connector here has at least one recess which forms a partial receptacle for the chip or the chip housing. The resilient portion of the connector body includes an elastomeric array disposed on at least one of the surfaces of the connector body portion, wherein the elastomeric array is reinforced with a fabric field to which the elastomeric array mats. Both the fabric field and the elastomer field have similar dimensions to have identical properties to a portion of the connector body over its entire region. The connector includes a plurality of conductive contacts that are inserted into a portion of the connector body. The contacts include sections of conductive wires that are threaded into a portion of the connector body and are bent back to form two adjacent and backup paths of the electrical circuit passing through the portion of the connector body. The contacts have free ends that project outwardly on opposite sides of a portion of the connector body to connect two different electronic components. The contacts are located in a portion of the connector body, approximately in the middle of the connector.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an improved LGA connector. The method comprises the steps of: forming a flexible portion of the connector body by enclosing the reinforcing member in the elastomer, placing it on the support member, passing the conductive wire section through the center of the hollow insertion tool, passing the wire portion into the connector body portion by moving the insertion tool penetrating with and into furthermore, after each insertion, the wire is cut so that the conductive wire is received in the connector body portion and has at least one free end that projects above the surface of the connector body portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-bondable connector having a resilient portion of the connector body that is supported by a rigid frame. The connector is provided with a plurality of contacts built into the connector body portion that are inserted into the connector body portion as a pair of interconnected conductive wire wires formed as open loops, each loop having two free ends that extend over the outer, opposite surfaces of the portion connector housing. These free end portions are laterally inclined and aligned in a certain configuration that corresponds to that of the opposite component of the other circuit. The inclination of the wires increases their contact length and creates knife ends for contact with the mats of the opposing peripheral components.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved LGA connector having a resilient portion of the connector body formed of an elastomer, wherein the resilient portion of the connector body is of an elastomer and is disposed on the frame and includes a plurality of separate contacts. The contacts are formed as open loops so as to form a pair of conductive circumferential paths, one of which is redundant - redundant, in a portion of the connector body having a plurality of openings, each of which has a wire loop attached thereto. The wires form a loop extending through a portion of the connector body and extending on opposite sides of the opening in the center thereof.

The present invention achieves these and other objects in a manner that is unique and represents a new construction.

In one main aspect of the present invention, which is illustrated in one embodiment thereof, the connector comprises a resilient portion of the connector body that is housed in a tight outer frame. The resilient portion of the connector body uses a reinforcing member as a backing for the elastomer. As shown in the first embodiment of the invention, the elastomer is disposed on both surfaces of the fabric field that is used as a stiffening member, so that the elastomer preferably fills the gaps in the fabric and thus elastomerics forms a self-sealing support surface on both sides of the fabric field. el-elastomers;. The method by which the elastomer is applied to the fabric field may be encapsulation, lamination or layer coating.

Conventional fabrics, e.g. j. those which are woven in a conventional manner, having warps and wefts (or fillers) intertwined together in either a conventional or stepped configuration. It is even contemplated that non-woven fabrics such as knitted fabrics, felts and the like may also be used as reinforcement, provided that the elastomer used can bond or otherwise bond itself to the fabric field in a manner that reliably bonds to the fabric field, and thus forming a resilient body that forms part of the connector body.

The thin wires are arranged in the connector in a predetermined assembly and are inserted into the fabric substrate by pulling them through the needle and inserting and sliding them in and out of the support substrate so that the wire contacts "sew" into place in the resilient portion of the connector body. The wires are folded back so that a contact is formed and inserted into the flexible part of the connector body, which has the shape of an open loop. The elastomer has a sufficiently resilient consistency to clamp and hold the wires in a position as they have passed through the resilient portion of the connector body, and the fabric field has a suitable consistency to provide a reinforcement or a degree of stiffness of the elastomer.

In another, alternative embodiment of the invention, the elastomer may be applied to only one surface of the reinforcing member. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcing member may utilize a rigid film thin sheet, preferably a polymer thin film, most preferably a polyamide film supplied by E.I. DuPont under the trade name "Kapton". Such films have the desired lifetime, while not fringing as fabrics can fray and wire contacts openings can be easily created by "lasering" across the body of the connector

In another, basic embodiment of the present invention, the contacts are formed by threading pairs of wires through the substrate, the pairs being formed from individual wire cores which are bent back at one end to form a two-wire wire section, or open loops, with cores having one an end-to-end bend, wherein the two ends of the wire are positioned close together or touching one another at one end of the contact, such that one free end of each contact has a loop-shaped configuration, while the other free end of the contact has front ends of two wire cores. The wires extend from the pad to a predetermined distance so as to form a plurality of resilient contact bundles that spring when subjected to the pressure of an opposing component, such as a chip, thereby forming Hertz contact between the contacts and opposing contact blocks on the printed circuit board. The wires may be bent in a certain direction and may define the direction of inclination, which is better than relying on the inclination of the wires to move according to their inclination. The dual nature of the wire cores, whether they are circular or rectangular / square cross-section, provides extra perimeter path contact to each connector. To form the contact faces at the ends of the wire veins, bead soldering can be formed at the ends of the wire veins.

Another, essential aspect of the present invention is that a section of each wire is pushed through the center of the insertion tool having the shape of a hollow needle or tube and backward folded to form a loop before the needle performs an insertion stroke over a portion of the connector body. Thereafter, the insertion tool is withdrawn, wherein the double wire vein remains retained in the connector body portion, approximately in its middle section, such that the free ends of the contacts protrude above the opposite surfaces of the connector body portion, about the same length. The wires are cut at a predetermined distance from the insertion tool removal location to form a double wire vein, the free end of the connector contact, thereby creating a pair of conductive paths for each contact with one insertion and return stroke of the insert tool. resistance and multiple conductive paths for one connection.

Yet another major aspect of the present invention is that the insertion tool is provided with a tip which is formed such that the wire can protrude from the center of the insertion tool but from the tip side. Such a tool has a tapered tip with a single tip or may have multiple tips that are arranged relative to each other to counteract the forces exerted on the insertion tool when inserting as it penetrates the elastomer and when a reinforcing member is used.

In another basic embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of holes are formed in the connector body portion by means of a laser, by cutting a portion of the connector body with a knife, or by rewinding the portion of the connector body before inserting the wires. Once holes are created, contacts are inserted into them. In another embodiment of the invention, it is possible to use a laser or rewinding to form a series of holes in a portion of the connector body, which portion of the connector body may use either a reinforced resilient portion of the connector body in which the fibers are in a particular arrangement or a layer of elastomer lying on it. However, part of the connector body can only use the above-mentioned film.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood through consideration of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Throughout the following detailed description, reference will often be made to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals correspond to like parts in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an improved LGA connector constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with associated electronic components that are separate from the insertion recess of the connector;

Fig. IA is an enlarged detail view of the region of FIG. 1 showing the exposed, free ends of the connector wire contacts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another side (typically a " planar " side) of the connector of FIG. 1;

Fig. 2A is an enlarged view of a detail of the region of FIG. 2, showing additional free, uncovered ends of the connector wire contacts;

Fig. 3A is a plan view of the frame member used in the connector of FIG. 1; 3B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the frame member taken along line B-B of FIG. 2A;

Fig. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the frame member taken along line C-C of FIG. 3A;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the frame member of FIG. 3A;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame member of FIG. 3A and the fabric substrate in a position ready to be inserted into the opening of the frame member;

Fig. 6A is a plan view of the connector frame of FIG. 1 with the fabric pad in a position to form a substrate for the layers to be molded thereon;

Fig. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the connector assembly frame taken along line B-B of FIG. 6A;

Fig. 6C is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the frame of the connector assembly taken along line C-C of FIG. 6A;

Fig. 6D is an enlarged detail view of area D of FIG. 6A;

Fig. 7A shows a top view of the connector frame assembly of FIG. 6A, but with the conductive wire contacts already in place;

Fig. 7B is a cross-section along line B-B of FIG. 7A showing a portion of the connector and further showing the wire contacts in their initial orientation within the portion of the connector body before bending the wire contacts;

Fig. 7C is a cross-sectional view of the connector taken along line C-C of FIG. 7A;

Fig. 7D is a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 7A showing one arrangement of wire contacts within a portion of the connector body after bending them to orient them in two directions;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative method of mounting a fabric backing into a connector frame;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an elastomeric substrate showing its reinforcement with a fabric;

Fig. 10A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a single-tip twisting tool used in the assembly of connectors having interconnected conductive wires;

Fig. 10B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the threading tool of FIG. 10A after bending the wires;

Fig. 11 is a schematic view of the threading tool of FIG. 10 penetrating into the connector substrate;

Fig. 12 is a schematic view showing how the threading tool penetrates the resilient portion of the connector body and initially progresses a predetermined length of contact wire;

Fig. 13 is a schematic view showing a threading tool as it is pulled out of its penetration by a flexible body portion;

Fig. 14 is a schematic view of a threading tool spaced from the proximal surface of the resilient portion of the connector body while the contact wire is in a ready-to-cut position;

Fig. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the contact wire in position within the resilient portion of the connector body separated from the supplied wire and insertion tool;

Fig. 16 is a schematic view of a free end contact forming member contacting the contacts after insertion into the resilient portion of the connector body;

Fig. 17 is a detailed view of wires used as contacts having a non-circular cross-section;

Fig. 18 is a detailed view of a portion of the connector of FIG. 1 located at a location between the chip and the printed circuit board illustrating a method of making a connector with connector contacts;

Fig. 19A is a side view of an alternative embodiment of an insertion tool structure that can be used to insert conductive wires into a flexible portion of the connector body of the invention;

Fig. 19B is a perspective view of the tip at the end of the insertion tool of FIG. 19A;

Fig. 19C is a detailed cross-sectional view of a portion of the connector of the invention with the insertion tool of FIG. 19A, already partially inserted into a portion of the connector body;

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a connector constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 21 is a detailed partial cross-sectional view of a body for use in connectors of the present invention having a rigid reinforcing member incorporated therein;

Fig. 22 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of a connector body disposed within the connector and punched by a punch member to create holes in the connector body portion for the connector contacts;

Fig. 23 is a schematic side view, partially in section, of an insertion tool positioned above an opening in a portion of a connector body according to the present invention;

Fig. 24A is a schematic top plan view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23 showing the orientation of the parts when a circular cross-sectional wire is used for the connector contacts;

Fig. 24B is a schematic top plan view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23 showing the orientation of the individual parts when a rectangular wire is used for the connector contacts;

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an insertion tool that can be used in carrying out the methods of the invention;

Fig. 25A shows an enlarged view of the insertion tool of FIG. 25;

Fig. 26 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an insertion tool that can be used in carrying out the methods of the invention;

Fig. 26A is an enlarged view of the insertion tool of FIG. 26;

Fig. 27 shows a perspective view of a punching tool, which can be used in practicing the methods of the invention, for piercing holes before inserting wires or piercing holes in a portion of the connector body;

Fig. 28 is a perspective view of an alternative punching tool that can be used in carrying out the methods of the invention; and FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 depicts an improved ground grid array (LGA) connector 20 that is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The connector 20 includes a frame member 21 that carries or embraces a resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20 disposed within the aperture 23 of the frame member 21. The resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20 is held within the aperture 23 of the frame member 21 by a series of side walls 25 of the frame member 21. which surrounds the opening 23 in such a way that the upper recess 24 can be formed on the surface of the connector 20 as well as the lower recess 27, if the particular use of the connector 20 so requires.

It is generally believed that the connector 20 is rectangular or square in shape, although it will be understood that other configurations may be used. The top recess 24 is adapted to accommodate an electrical circuit component such as a chip or chip case, an ASIC, a microprocessor, a printed circuit board 26, and the like in the recess 24, wherein other, similar circuit components may similarly be located on the underside of the connector. 20, in the lower recess 27 (FIG. 2). Typically, such components may include a printed circuit board that is sized to be received in the lower recess 27, although in some applications of the side wall 25 of the frame member 21, they may be formed on the underside of the connector 20 aligned with the lower surface of the body portion 22. of the connector so that any lower recess 27 is removed, and the connector 20 may be fastened directly to the printed circuit board. In order to form conductive paths between the two peripheral components, the connector 20 is provided with a plurality of conductive contacts 28 formed of thin wires or fibers. These contacts 28 have two free ends 29, 30 that extend upwardly from the outer surfaces 32 and 33 of the connector body portion 22.

The connector 20 in use may be mounted on a printed circuit board and for this purpose may include one or more mounting holes 34 formed in the frame member 21. Parts of the frame member 21 may be raised relative to the rest of the frame member 21 to serve as spacers 35 (FIG. 2) to slightly lift the lower surface 33 of the connector body portion 22 to form a thin air gap between the lower surface 33 and the printed circuit board (not shown) on which the connector 20 is mounted, which may facilitate cleaning prior to soldering when the connector 20 is used in an application where soldering is utilized.

Fig. 3A shows the frame member 21 in the open state without the portion 22 of the connector body 20 to be accommodated therein. The frame member 21 and its side walls 25 may be formed in an advantageous manner such as by injection molding from plastics or other electrically insulating materials. The frame member 21 is preferably molded in one piece, although other alternative constructions can also be used. In this embodiment of the invention, a fabric reinforcement 37 (FIG. 5) is used as a stiffening member, providing the body portions 22 of the connector 20 with some support, and is pre-cut to a predetermined shape that preferably corresponds to the support shoulder 38 (FIG. 4). which is formed on one of the surfaces of the frame member 21. The fabric reinforcement 37 is preferably formed of a fabric such as nylon or fiberglass, preferably cut using a laser or cutting die. Natural fabrics may also be used, but it should be noted that the use of synthetic fabrics is more advantageous in that they have a very low thermal expansion coefficient (approaching near zero) that reduces any expansion occurring in the portion 22 of the connector body 20 during operation. connector 20 and also has better heat transfer capabilities than commonly used insulators. The use of a laser to cut the fabric field is advantageous in that the heat generated by the laser is able to seal the edges of the fabric and minimize any fraying that could occur on the loose edges of the fabric after cutting. Advantageously, fabrics that are woven and have interwoven strands, as shown in FIG. 9, but other nonwoven fabrics such as knitted fabrics and felt can also be used herein. As discussed in more detail below, in some cases the reinforcing member may comprise a film.

A support shoulder 38, as shown, is formed on a bottom surface on (Figs. 3B, 3C and 4) of the frame member 21. The support shoulder 38, as shown, is recessed and extends around the inner periphery of the frame member 21. This support the shoulder 38 provides a means for accurately positioning the fabric field 37 in the frame member 21 and also provides a support for the elastomer that is attached to the frame member 21 and the fabric field 37. To keep the fabric field 37 in place in the support shoulder 38, raised tabs or ribs 40 formed on the four sides to touch the fabric and keep it taut within the frame member 21 so as to prevent any popping effect or other type of twist, respectively. collapse as a result of the following activity. These ribs 40 can also be used to stretch the fabric reinforcement 37 on the frame member 21 hot. The fabric field 32 may be positioned over and in contact with the frame member 21, bringing heat to the ribs 40, causing the fabric field 37 to melt and fasten, in a manner known in the art. Although the ribs 40 are shown in the middle portions of the shoulder 38, they may be longer than shown to improve the stretching ability. After pressing the elastomer onto the frame member 21, the elastomer will hold and engage the fabric field 37 in this region.

The fabric field 37 may also be crimped over the ribs 40 during attachment, and one of the elastomeric layers 34, typically that located on the "upper" face of the connector 20, may be crimped onto the frame member 21 to the opposite shoulder 38 and rib 40. In this description "Upper" will refer to the surface of the connector 20 which is opposite the peripheral components 26 and on which they are mounted. After placing the fabric field 37 in the frame member 21 and receiving the shoulder 38, this is preferably permanently secured in place by pressing the elastomer, or otherwise applying the elastomer to opposite sides of the frame member 21 and the fabric field 37.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 21, the stiffener portion 22 of the connector body 20 is in the form of a rigid foil member 337. The rigid rigid film member 337 is preferably formed from a polymeric film that does not shatter, as is sometimes the case with some reinforcing fabrics, which may result in the warp of the fabric sealingly adhering to the conductive contacts, and may affect the integrity or integrity of the fabric. Conductivity of connector 20. Good results were obtained using films of polyamide (polymer) sold under the trade name "Kapton" by EI DuPont. Such a stiffening member also differs from the fabrics already discussed above in that it has no apertures between adjacent fibers through which the elastomer can flow during forming the portion 22 of the connector body 20.

In one aspect of the invention, the elastomer may be considered as two elastomeric layers 41, 42 disposed along the upper surface 32 and the lower surface 33 of the portion 22 of the connector body 20.

It will be understood, however, that the term "layer" as used for an elastomer is to be interpreted as broadly as possible and will therefore include two separate layers of elastomer or a single structure formed where the elastomer penetrates or permeates through interspaces 43 formed between adjacent fibers. 44 to form a continuous structure between them. (Fig.9) Where the elastomer in this way covers all uncovered surfaces of the reinforcing fields 37, 337, the reinforcing fields 37, 337 are considered to be "encapsulated" in the elastomer, the elastomer forming the upper and lower surfaces of the connector body portion 22. until the two layers 41, 42 are bonded but bonded or otherwise bonded, both themselves and to the fabric field 37, as shown in FIG. 9, by interconnecting through the regions of the interspaces between adjacent fibers of the fabric field 37, such a structure is considered to be "integrated" or "layered" between two elastomer layers 41, 42, the elastomer being disposed on the upper 32 and lower surfaces of the connector body portion 22. In close contact, the layers 41, 42 with opposite sides of the stiffening fields 37, 337 may be introduced by subjecting all three members to elevated temperature and pressure to form a structure that is considered to be a "laminated" structure. In yet another case, in some applications, the reinforcing fields 37, 337 may be extruded together with two fields of elastomer or may be dipped in the elastomer to coat both sides with a "layer".

In order to ensure proper connection between the connector body portion 22 (ie, the reinforcement fields 37, 33 7) and the elastomer layers 41, 42 with the frame member 21 of the connector 20, a series of anchoring cavities 46 is formed at predetermined locations in the frame member. As shown in the drawings, these anchoring cavities 46 may correspond to the apertures 23 of the frame member 21 and may be located in a portion of the shoulder 38 formed on the face of the connector 20. Preferably, these anchoring cavities 46 extend over the thickness of the frame member 21. 1, 52, forming protrusions of the anchoring cavity 46 that are aligned but aligned with each other so as to form an opening in the frame member 21 which is guided in two different directions, which will be filled with an elastomer to firmly anchor the portion 22 connector bodies 20 on frame member 21 of connector 20. Examples of suitable elastomer include, but are not limited to, rigid liquids, silicone foams and rubbers, synthetic rubbers, triblock copolymers and the like. The hardness of the elastomer also contributes to the operation of the connector body portion 22, with higher hardness being preferred to achieve improved gripping of the wires inserted into the holes in the connector body portion 22. For example, it has been found that a 70 ° hardness elastomer on the Shore A scale. provides better gripping of wires than this with a hardness of 40 ° on the Shore A scale.

After filling with the elastomer, the anchoring cavities 46 and their portions 51, 52 forming the projections of the anchoring cavities 46 are joined to the side walls of the frame member 21 in two different directions to provide a suitable anchorage which contributes to the adhesive properties of the elastomer. . The arrangements of these portions 51, 52 forming the projections of the anchoring cavity 46 are best illustrated in FIG. 3B and 6A, while the way in which the elastomer fills them is best seen in the cross-section shown in FIG. 6C. The anchoring cavities 46 serve to provide a means by which the elastomer layers 41, 42 and the frame member 21 engage with each other or further serve as anchoring elements when layers 41 are formed at the same time on the frame member 21. they fill with the elastomer when the elastomer is applied to the fabric field 37 after it has been attached to the frame member 21 by a suitable compression method.

In another fabric anchoring and attachment structure as shown in FIG. 8, the frame member 21 may have a channel, or an internally formed filler groove 100, which may be guided around the entire periphery of the opening of the frame member 21 of the connector 20. This channel 100 accommodates the edge or edges 101 of the fabric field 37. When the elastomer is applied to the fabric field 37. then this at the bottom of the connector 20 fills the channel 100 and presses the mesh 18 of the fabric 10 into the channel 100 to form a sealed but resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20.

The inner edges 54 of the frame member 21 may be provided with a chamfer 55, as shown in FIG. 5 so as to increase their area and thereby provide a larger area for contact with the elastomer and thereby to better adhere the elastomer when pressed or poured into the aperture 23 of the frame member 21. Two elastomer layers 41 and 42 serve to encapsulate the edges of the fabric field 37; to cover its free surfaces, while the fabric field 37 forms a reinforcement of the elastomer layers 41 and 42 and contributes to the tightness. The fabric field 37 also serves to partially retain the wires inserted into the body portion 22 of the connector 20, while the elastomeric elasticity holds the contacts 28 in position and provides a seal around the wires of the contacts 28. It is also contemplated that the fabric field 37 and layers 41 and 42 The elastomer may be formed separately and subsequently joined together and then inserted into the frame member 21 of the connector 20, after being formed.

The use of an elastomer and a fabric array 37 (or other reinforcing elements) complementary to one another according to the invention when the elastomer imparts elasticity to the body portion 22 of the connector 20 and the fabric provides reinforcement and stiffness of the body supporting portion 22 thereby reducing the overall thickness of the body portion 22. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a thickness of about 0.5 mm for the connector body portion 22, provided that the connector body portion 22 used is constructed by laminating, encapsulating, and at the same time by extrusion, the fabric field 37 having layers 41 and 42 of elastomer on both sides thereof. Where a fabric field 37 having a thickness of about 0.15 mm is used and each elastomer layer 41 and 42 has a similar thickness, the resulting common thickness of the connector body portion 22 is about 0.45 mm.

Even with respect to the overall coupling height of the connector 20, it is contemplated that, according to the invention, the free ends 29, 30 of the contacts 28 that overlap the outer surfaces 32, 33 of the connector body portion 22 to a distance of about 0.25 mm the joining heights of the connector body portion 22 (obtained by adding the length of the free contact ends 29, 30 to the thickness of the connector body portion 22) about 0.95 mm. In such cases, the frame member 21 of the connector 20 may have a thickness of only about 1.5 mm, thereby forming an extremely thin but high-density connector in which little force is sufficient to connect it to the counterpart. As mentioned above, it is also contemplated that the elastomer layer 41 and 42 may be applied to only one of the two surfaces of the fabric field 37 or vice versa, possibly further reducing the thickness of the connector region of the connector 20. Affecting the thickness of the connector body portion 22 may possibly the type of fabric. A fabric field 37 having a conventional warp will create and improve the solidity of the connector body portion 22 and improve the rigidity of the connector body portion 22. Of the irregularly woven fabrics, those that reduce the thickness of the connector body portion 22 may be used.

Another important aspect of the invention is, as schematically shown in FIG. 10 to 15, that the conductive contacts 28 are inserted into a portion 22 of the connector body 20 by "sliding" them into place. The contacts 60 are inserted into the body portion 22 of the connector 20, preferably by means of a programmable sewing machine 20, which performs a linear reciprocating sewing movement. The conductive wire 63 is supplied at certain lengths in successive steps, into the central channel or passage 62 of the insertion tool 61 before insertion into the connector body portion 22 (FIG. 10A). The conductive wire 63 protrudes from the center of the insertion tool 61 and is advanced before insertion so that the elastomer layers 41 and 42 grip the conductive wire 63 and retain a portion (i.e., the free end 30) protruding above the bottom surface (FIG. 11).

Depending on the diameter of the wires, the retraction of the needle may be sufficient to bend the wire back to form a free end 29, in the form of a two-core loop 65, as shown in FIG. ID. However, it is preferred that the bending is effected by a gripping means 67 disposed on a respective side of the body portion 22 of the connector 20. As shown in FIG. 10B, bending of wire 63 may be performed by clamping means 67 prior to insertion of insertion tool 61 into resilient portion 22 of connector body 20. Further movement of insertion tool 61 (FIG. 12) through resilient portion 22 of connector body 20 (and fabric layer 37 and another layer) of the elastomer), wherein the wire 63 is advanced, causes the wire 63 to be discharged beyond the opposite, outer surface 33 of the further layer 42 of the elastomer. When the predetermined length of the wire 63 has been reached to make contact of the desired length, the insertion tool 61 is pulled back through the body portion 22 of the connector 20 (FIG. 23). When the insertion tool 61 is pulled out of the top layer of the elastomer, the wire 63 continues to slide so that on this side of the connector 20 there are two free cores 30 of the wire 63, which are arranged side by side. The extended vein is then cut with a suitable means 68 at a distance substantially equal to that of the second vein (FIG. 14). Optionally, the wire 63 may be pulled out of the insertion tool 61 prior to insertion and then bent along the side of the insertion tool 61 so that it will move synchronously with the movement of the insertion tool 61.

This threading method allows the connector 20 to be. made with very fine contacts, low height and profile. The contacts 28 may be formed either of sections of a wire 63 with a circular cross-section or as shown in FIG. 17, polygonal cross-sectional wire sections such as rectangles, squares, hexagons and the like may be used that significantly contribute to increasing the electrical load that the contacts 28 can also transmit when the wire has a non-circular cross section, but for example rectangular about 0.1 mm by 0.25 mm, which will resist the tendency of the elastomer to turn the wire by 90 ° due to the elastomer exerting external pressure on the wire. If a cross-sectional rectangular wire is used, it is preferred that it is bent back, with a radius equal to its larger cross-sectional dimension. As mentioned above, the contacts 28 may be threaded into the body portion 22 of the connector 20 by means of a programmable sewing machine, which may optionally insert wires according to a preselected arrangement. The arrangement can be adjusted better with respect to the software, i.e. the sewing machine software, than the alignment to the molded cavity as would be done with conventional molded connectors.

The reciprocating movement of the insertion tool or needle / tube 61 and the bending of the wire for each contact 28 form a conductive loop, of a pair of wire veins, with the end open, each wire or leg of wire 63 forming an independent path between the contacts on the chip 26 and the other component. on which the connector 20 is attached. This open-loop contact of a pair of wire cores includes two free ends 29, 30 that extend beyond the outer surfaces of the resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20. One free contact end 29 can be considered a " loop " the end where the wire 63 is folded back (usually with a radius equal to the radius of the wire 63 in cases where the wire 63 has a circular cross-section), while the other contact end 30 may be referred to as the "open end" of the contact because two veins the wires 63 terminate freely as unconnected ends. This two-wire wire section is advantageous as it not only provides a backup path to the electrical circuit to ensure the reliability of the connection provided by the connector 20, but also reduces the inductance of the entire system by reducing each inductive contact path of the particular contact 20 by about one-half. comparison using only a single contact, as demonstrated by the equation for parallel inductance: L _T r = (L x L 2) / (L, + L 2). Moreover, the free ends 29, 30 of the contacts 28 are small, but provide high contact pressure, although the connectors 20 require only a small load, perpendicularly directed force to achieve reliable interconnection and to establish effective Hertz contact with the opposite electrical component. The truncated free ends 30 (FIG. 18) actually function as knife ends that can be inserted into contact strips on opposite printed circuit boards or chip housings, penetrating through any contamination or oxidized sites that may be formed on the individual components. However, it should be added that, if necessary, soft solder beads 125, 126 can be added to one or both of the free ends 29, 30 of the contacts 28, as shown in FIG. 20th

A preferred insertion method is shown schematically in FIG. 23. Each aperture formed in the body portion 22 of the connector 20 has a CA axis as shown in FIG. The insertion tool 61 has its own axis TA, which largely coincides with the WA axis of the wire 63 that is supplied through the insertion tool 61. Accordingly. For example, when the wire 63 is folded back to form a loop, the insertion tool 61 is set, as shown, at a distance OC from the hole axis C A. Fig. 24A, respectively. 24B, illustrate this distance in cross-sectional view, and also show the location of the wire 63 (both circular and rectangular cross-section) and the insertion tool 61 relative to the opening of the portion 22 of the connector body 20.

In another, alternative method of inserting the wire 63, the contact receiving holes 28 may be formed in the body portion 22 of the connector body 20 by burning with a laser, preventing loosening or tearing of the fabric from the area around the hole and creating waste on one of the surfaces of the body portion 22. after insertion. The use of a laser will also reduce the force required to penetrate through the connector body portion 22 if the openings in the connector body portions 20 that use the film 337 as a stiffening element are preformed. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 22, the punch 400 for successively piercing the holes 40 1 in the connector body portion 22 before inserting the wire 63. The punch 400 penetrates both the elastomer portion 403 and the stiffening member 404. The contacts are then inserted into the holes by the insertion tool 61, as described above.

Fig. 27 depicts one kind of punch 500 having a conical portion 501 formed at the tip of its elongated body portion 502. Fig. 28 illustrates one alternative shape of the punch 5 10, wherein the body portion 511 ends with a knife end 512 having a square or rectangular piercing head 513. One or the other of these tools will pierce the appropriate body holes 22 of the connector body 20 before inserting the wires 63 By means of the punch 500, holes of circular cross-section will be created in the body portion 22 of the connector body 20, and through the knife punch 51 0, through slits will be formed. Preloading the connector body portion 22 in advance provides an advantage such as reducing waste and improving loop straightness from the wire 63, being used as the film reinforcement element in the connector body portion 22.

In the present invention, an important aspect regarding contact force is the design of the open loop wire contacts. Not only is a backup conductive loop formed at each contact, but the closed ends 29 of the open loops have a rounding resulting from the wire 63 folding back, resulting in a point contact P (Fig. IA) formed between the closed end portion 29 contact 28 and opposing electrical circuit components. On the opposite side of the contact, where the free end is comprised of two, adjacent free ends of wires 63 as shown in FIG. 2A, the contact will be made with the opposite component as a connection in a straight line, the line being formed by one of the cut ends of the wires 63, as shown in FIG. 2A thick line H, particularly in cases where the wire 63 has a cross-section either square or rectangular.

In the manufacture of the connector 20, it can be used, as shown in FIG. 16, a forming tool such as a mandrel 80 that engages the free ends 29, 30 on opposite sides of the connector 20 to form the free ends 29, 30 in one or two directions. The mandrel 80 may be formed with symmetrical sides as shown, and may move along a particular arc or perform a similar movement in the direction of the arrow M of FIG. 16 to shape the free ends of the wires 63 in the manner shown, when the pairs of adjacent contacts have their free ends directed away from each other. The final result of such a molding process is shown in FIG. IA and 2A, wherein the pairs 81 of the contacts 28 are formed so as to point to each other at an angle. An alternative arrangement is shown in FIG. 16 where the mandrel 80 comes into contact with the free ends 29 of the contact pair 81 and bends the free ends 29 towards the surface 33 of the body portion 22 at an angle that is less than 90 degrees but in opposite directions to each other. Yet another arrangement is shown in Fig. 18, where the pairs of contacts 81 face the same direction.

Fig. 19A-C show another construction of an insertion tool 110 that can be used in the manufacture of the connectors of the invention. Although the individual insertion tools 61 shown in the figures are suitable for inserting contacts, it has been found over time that the body portion 22 of the elastomer connector 20 tends to exert a slight force on the tapered surface of the insertion tool 61 and increase the likelihood that the insertion tool 61 'entering' into the elastomer is slightly pushed away from the center of the intended insertion into the resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20. To eliminate the likelihood of this occurring, a two-prong insertion tool 110 can be used to insert contacts 28 into the resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20. .

As is clear from FIG. 19B, the insertion tool 110 has the shape of a hollow needle or tube, with a central channel extending axially therethrough, which opens outwardly to its pointed end 112. At the pointed end 11, two tips 115 are formed which are separated and aligned with each other. Each of these tines 115 has a triangular shape with two inclined sides 11 6 on opposite sides of the axis of each tine 115. The canary opens in the center of the pointed end 112 as shown so that the wire 63 protrudes therefrom in the manner shown.

Fig. 19C shows the penetration of the insertion tool 110 into the body portion 22 of the elastomer connector 20. The tendency of the insertion tool 61 " entering " into the elastomer portion 22 of the connector body 20 mentioned above is unlikely to occur because the elastomer exerts a resistive force Fj on each tapered face 116 of the pointed end 112 of the tool thereby keeping the insertion tool 110 straight. elastomer at a specified location and even directly through any yarn reinforcement underneath the elastomer. These two forces act against each other and keep the insertion tool 10 in its path as it penetrates into and through the elastomer part 22 of the connector body 20 and any yarn that may lie in the path.

Fig. 25 and 26 illustrate types of insertion tools. In FIG. 25A, it can be recognized that the tool 260 is wedge-shaped in that it cuts at this angle at an angle from the initial cross-section through the body 260, with a stepped surface 262 formed at the end of the cut. inner tool canister 263.

Fig. 26 and 26A illustrate another tool 270 having a pointed end 272 of its body formed in the shape of a " hub " tip. The shape of the "hub" tip can easily be achieved by cutting or tapering the tips of the conical tip 271. In this way, a sharp circular tip 275 is formed which surrounds the inner canary 276 and contacts the body portion 22 of the connector 20 when the insertion tool they press against him.

Although a resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20 that is provided with a fabric reinforcing layer is preferred, the advantages of the present invention can also be achieved by constructing a connector that uses only the elastomer field of the resilient portion 22 of the connector body 20. FIG. 20 shows a cross-sectional view of a connector 200 provided with a rigid frame member 202 with an opening 204 for receiving an elastomeric connector body portion 206. The connector body portion 206, without any reinforcement portion, is held in position in the opening 204 by the anchoring cavities described above and shown in FIG. 6D. The connector body portion 206 includes a plurality of individual conductive contacts 28, which are arranged here according to a predetermined pattern or array. Each contact 28 comprises at least two thin wire cores 63 that protrude above opposite outer surfaces 214, 21 5 of the connector body portion 206 as described above.

Although much of the foregoing has been directed to the use of a resilient portion of the connector body that is formed of an elastomer, the present invention also contemplates the use of a unique aspect of inserting contacts into the rigid portion 206 of the connector body. Fig. 29 illustrates a connector 500 provided with a housing 501 and a connector body portion 502 supported by the housing. In some cases, the housing 501 and the connector body portion 502 may be formed by one and the other component. In other cases, the connector body portion 502 may be a thinner portion or just a sheet, such as Kapton sheet, as already mentioned above. The holes may be either drilled, cut, punched or burned (by laser) in the connector body portion 502 and the conductive contacts 503 inserted into the connector body portion 502 using the threading insertion method shown in FIG. 10 to 15 and 23. In some cases, it may be necessary for the contacts 503 to be secured in the holes by means of adhesive 504. For the first step to be performed, the contacts 503 may first be formed from the conductive wires, or the contacts may be first molded by pressing and molding.

With regard to the use of " threading " to insert contacts into the connector body portion, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of a single needle. Briefly, a series of needles or a " group " of needles can be used to effect multiple contact insertions per movement of the insertion tool.

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Claims (25)

PATENT CLAIMS A method of manufacturing a pressure-coupled connector (20), comprising: providing a rigid frame (21) provided with an opening; providing a washer (37, 337) of predetermined dimensions having opposing first and second surfaces (32, 33); attaching the washer (37, 337) to the frame (21) such that the opening in said frame is filled with the washer (37, 337) to form a body portion (22) of said connector (20) within said frame (21); forming a plurality of conductive contacts (28) in the portion (22) of the connector body (20) by inserting a plurality of thin conductive wires (63) into said washer (37, 337) in a predetermined configuration, each contact (28) having first and second contact an end (29, 20) that are opposed to each other and which extend above said first and second surfaces (32, 33) of the washer (37, 337) to form a plurality of conductive paths through said connector body portion (22). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame (21) is attached to said washer (37, 337) before insertion of the wires (63). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said wires (63) are either beryllium-copper alloy or gold-plated nickel. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming said conductive contacts (28) in the body portion (22) of the connector (20) comprises the steps of: (A) first folding said wires (63) back to form sections of two wire (63) and (B) inserting said sections 27 of the two wire wires (63) into the washer (37, 337) and thereby firmly seating them in the body portion (22) of the connector (20). The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming said contacts (28) in the resilient portion (22) of the connector body (20) comprises the steps of: (A) piercing a conductor wire section (63) from the wire magazine (63) via a hollow insertion tool (61); (B) folding said wire section back to form a two-wire wire section; (C) inserting said two core wire section (63) into a washer (37, 337) to anchor the two core wire section (63) in the connector body portion (22); (D) cutting the wire (63) to separate a section of the two wire wires (63) from the wire magazine (63) and form one conductive contact (28), with the first and second contact ends (29, 30) facing each other and (E) repeating steps (A) to (D) so that the following contacts (28) can be inserted into the body portion (22) of the connector (20). Method according to one of claims 1, 4 or 5, characterized in that the wires (63) are inserted into the substrate (37, 337) by means of a blanking process. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying an elastomer to at least one of the first or second surfaces (32, 33) of the substrate (37, 337) to cover the at least one surface (32, 33) of the substrate (32, 33). 37, 337) such that the elastomer is joined to the backing (37, 337). Production method according to one of claims 1 or 7, characterized in that the backing (37, 337) is formed from a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric, a nylon fabric, a glass fiber fabric, a foil or a polyamide foil. The method of claim 7, wherein the elastomer is silicone rubber. Production method according to claim 7, characterized in that said eiastomer clamps the outer surfaces of the contacts (28) and thereby seals them against each other. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the elastomer is applied to the substrate (37, 337) by pouring, pressing or laminating with at least one layer of elastomer on at least one of the surfaces (32, 33) of the substrate (37, 337). . The method of claim 5, wherein the insertion tool (61) comprises an elongate hollow member (61) having a central channel (62) extending axially therethrough for locating a section of wire (63), 1, 10, 260, 270) comprises a pointed end provided with either: (A) a pair of aligned tips (115); (B) is frustoconical; (C) is arranged in a charge-like shape; (D) is wedge-shaped; or (E) is arranged with a bevel. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming holes in the pad (37, 337) prior to inserting the wires (63) into the pad (37, 337), the step for creating holes comprising either: (A) ) forming holes in the washer (37, 337) by punching with a punch; (B) pruning the holes in the washer (37, 337) with a knife; (C) laser cutting through holes. The method of claim 7, wherein the elastomer has a Shore A hardness of about 40 ° to about 70 °. Production method according to either of Claims 1 or 7, characterized in that the two-core wire sections are inserted into holes formed in a washer (37, 337) on opposite sides of the central axis of the holes. Production method according to either of Claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the first and second contact ends (29, 30) project beyond the opposite surfaces (32, 33) of the washer (37, 337) to a distance sufficient to form the deformable contact (29). 28) incorporated in the body portion (22) of the connector (20). The production method according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and second contact ends (29, 30) project above the opposite surfaces (32, 33) of the washer (37, 337) to a distance of at least 2 mm. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wires (63) have a non-circular or rectangular cross-section. Production method according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the contacts (28) have a loop at their first contact end (29) and two free ends of wires (63) at the second contact end (30). Production method according to claim 7, characterized in that the part (22) of the connector body (20) is connected to the frame (21) by pressing the elastomer into the washer (37, 337) and the frame (21). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the frame (21) comprises a plurality of anchoring cavities (46) which form channels passing through said frame (21) through which the etastomer can flow. The method of claim 1, including the step of attaching the washer (37, 337) to the frame (21) by inserting it into the frame (21) while hot. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of bending the first contact ends (29) and the second contact ends (30) of the pairs of contacts (28) towards each other. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of attaching solder balls (125, 126) to the first or second contact ends (29, 30) of said contacts (28). The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of attaching solder balls (125, 126) to the second contact ends (30) of said contacts (28). ? Ρ1Β1Ο-Ό